Shadows
by Julia Mars
Summary: Begining on Couruscant, immediately after the Battle of Geonosis, this little arc takes place way before the Battle of Muunilinst. Most of this is exchanges between Padmé, Anakin, ObiWan, and my friend's character Aleia, a woman from ObiWan's past.
1. The state of things

The Clone Wars had began with a 'victory' for the Jedi; Jango Fett was dead; Yoda, Obi-Wan and his Padawan had bested Dooku; Anakin was the incredible one-armed boy. Things were going pretty well overall.

Anakin had been admitted to the Jedi's Droid Run Hospital as soon as they arrived back on Coruscant. He had passed out from loss of blood on the way back and woken up in the dark, dismal place that night. There was no furniture in the room, just the uncomfortable bed. Anakin tried to remind himself that it was only dark and dismal because he wanted to be anywhere else, but it didn't do any good; he'd never been able to be logical.

_Stupid Dooku,_ thought Anakin to himself as a medial droid inspected his stub of an arm. The droid had said it would go quicker and easier if he slept through the procedure, but every time Anakin closed his eyes, he saw Dooku's attack all over again. Occasionally, his mother appeared too. It was like she was trying to tell him something…

"OW!" Anakin yelped as something poked at his scabbing and he sat up sharply. The droid had some sort of expression resembling amusement.

"Told you to sleep, I did," it said.

"Master Yoda's been here lately, hasn't he," Anakin moaned as he fell back on the pillows. _Damn these cheap voice imitation droids,_ he thought as he once again saw the red stick of pure energy come slashing down on his arm.

Back in her senatorial residence, Padmé couldn't sleep either. The thought that she was safe in bed and Anakin was still short one appendage was unbearable. Apparently, she was the only one in her residence quarters bothered by that fact since everyone else was sound asleep. _Or am I…_ she though as she heard a droid in the hall.

"Mistress Amidala, are you still awake?" said the synthesized voice of C-3PO at her doorway.

"Yeah," she sighed. She had a lot more she wanted to say, but no self-respecting Senator spilled her feelings to a droid.

"I'm so worried about Master Ani," 3PO said.

"I didn't know a droid could feel worried," said Padmé, trying to distract herself.

"Master Anakin programmed me to have synthesized human emotions," he replied sadly. "Mistress, what is so amusing?" 3PO questioned at her smile.

"I've never met anyone else who built a droid in spare time, especially at nine," she replied. "I'm trying to figure out if Anakin is a genius or if he's crazy."

"He's perfectly sane!" said 3PO. "All my gears and circuits work perfectly and no mentally unstable person could make me function correctly- Mistress Amidala, why are you laughing?"

"3PO, you're exactly right," Padmé replied, not mentioning that she hadn't needed such a complex response. "I don't know how you do it, but you always seem to cheer me up."

"Hmmm," 3PO sighed. "I don't believe I'll ever understand human behavior."

"I don't think I will either," groaned Padmé.

"Master Kenobi, what troubles you?" asked Mace Windu, interrupting Obi-Wan's turbulent meditation. Obi-Wan now sat in one of many rooms in the Jedi Temple reserved for meditation with Mace Windu and Yoda.

"Nothing, Master Windu, just my Padawan," Obi-Wan replied.

"Ah, something, your Padawan is," said Yoda.

"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan chuckled. "It's just that he can be so overconfident, and has so much built up inside; if and when it comes out- that's why he's missing an arm right now. His abilities keep going to his head-"

"Enough criticism, Obi-Wan," Mace Windu interrupted, holding up a hand. Obi-Wan bit his tongue.

"Perhaps, from both sides, better understanding needs to come," Yoda pointed out gently.

"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said quietly.

"The Force is still strangely unstable," Mace Windu said calmly. "If it continues down this path, your Padawan could be our only hope."

"I know," Obi-Wan sighed. "That's what frightens me."


	2. Stir Crazy

Anakin was starting to go stir crazy. He'd been stuck in bed for the day, he didn't know how his friends were, and the droids were all as sarcastic as he was known to be. "I haven't seen a human since one chopped my arm off," he grumbled one day.

"We're just glad to know we're appreciated," said the droid currently working on him.

"Well, how would you feel if you were separated from all you droid friends?" Anakin snapped back.

"I'm a droid, I don't 'feel'," it replied flatly.

_And yet, you're still sarcastic,_ Anakin thought.

Another droid entered with a clipboard. "There's a visitor for Skywalker," it said.

"What?" said Anakin as he sat bolt upright. "Who? I thought I couldn't have any!" The droid didn't reply, but only stepped aside, seemingly ticked. The droid who'd been working on his arm left as a short, dark robed woman glided in soundlessly. Her short, jet-black hair was peeking out from under her hooded cloak. Anakin sensed the Force strongly around her, but everything else about her was clouded.

"Anakin Skywalker?" she said.

"Yeah…who are you?" he replied.

"No one you know," she said quickly as she lowered her hood, revealing silver highlights.

Anakin rolled his eyes and said, "That much is apparent." The woman gave him a sudden dark look that made him wince slightly, something to which Anakin Skywalker was unaccustomed. "So why are you here to see me?" he asked suspiciously, a tiny bit flattered.

"I'm not," she said as she sat down, crushing his ego. "I'm looking for an Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Why?" Anakin ventured. The stranger shot him another dark look. "Well, what do you want from me?" he asked.

"I'm under the impression that you are his apprentice," she said calmly.

"You're correct," said Anakin, "but I can't help you."

"Oh yes you can," said the stranger. She had a look that explained that she knew about the bond between a Master and a Padawan Apprentice.

"Well, you're wrong. I don't even know where I am, little less anyone else. If you find him, tell me," said Anakin, hoping to get some more information before telling this strange woman anything. The stranger sighed heavily and Anakin sensed his opportunity. "Maybe if I knew who wanted to find him an why…" he started.

The woman scrutinized him in ways only a Jedi could, although he had never hear of such a person and was certain he would have if she were a member of the Order. "All right," she groaned and pulled her chair closer. "My name is Aleia Hayley Madre. I knew Kenobi when we were younger; his master visited mine… sort of. We were… good friends and I haven't seen him in over 10 years."

"Touching," Anakin said flatly. He'd been hoping for something a bit juicier. "Try the Jedi Temple, he's barely left since we got here."

"Damn the system!" said Aleia as she pulled up her hood and left, leaving Anakin wondering how many other old friends his master hadn't told him about.

"It's been longer than I thought," murmured Aleia as she left the Jedi's Droid Run Hospital. She had frumped her way through the interview with Anakin, trying not to give away too much, but Skywalker had figured that out easily. Aleia had hoped she would not have to go through the Temple; that was why she had gone to Anakin first. A renegade Jedi had trained her -Master L'Darrond- and she was not sure the people at the temple would be happy to see her. In fact, she was almost certain that she would be kicked out on her butt.

Aleia looked up from her thoughts and found herself outside a large building sporting older, more unique style architecture than most on Coruscant. Its first levels were made of stone and each level looked more modern than the last. It had been added on to as the number of Jedi throughout the Galaxy had grown. It was surrounded by beings all dressed as Aleia was, in Jedi robes.

"Jedi Temple, get ready for a culture shock," she muttered to herself.

"Master Kenobi?" said a young Padawan to the meditating Jedi.

"Yes, what is it?" Obi-Wan replied without moving.

"There's someone here to see you," the nervous student said quietly. "Shall I send her in?"

"Fine," Obi-Wan said calmly.

"Hello, Ben," said an all too familiar voice. Only one person in the entire galaxy still knew about that name. Obi-Wan's eyes jerked open and he fell over backwards.

"Aleia?" he said. "Aleia Hayley Madre?" She grinned broadly. "It's been so long," said Obi-Wan as he stood up. "Wow, you've grown." Aleia's smile widened; she was still a little more than a head shorter than him. "How did you find me?" asked Obi-Wan.

"I had to go through your Padawan. By the way, your apprentice is going stir crazy," she replied.

"You think he's stir crazy now," said Obi-Wan, reflecting on past years. "So what brings you to Coruscant?"

"I was at the Battle of Geonosis," said Aleia. "I knew it had been a while when I first heard that you were in trouble, but I didn't realize _how_ long until I saw you chained to a pole alongside an apprentice. Tell me, how the hell did you get to be a master so quickly?"

"Long story, have a seat," said Obi-Wan. They sat down in the chairs by the window as Obi-Wan began telling Aleia about the soap opera his life had been in the last ten years.


	3. Character RendezVous

Anakin was released that evening. There was a speeder (open top and yellow) sent over for him with a message from Obi-Wan to return to Senator Amidala's apartment. A bad thought occurred to Anakin as he hopped in, though; after he had lost his arm, he and Padmé had not exactly been subtle. Although he could justify his feelings in his own mind, Anakin was certain his Master would agree, little less the High Council.

"Shit," Anakin mumbled as he sped off. He decided not to mention anything to Obi-Wan and hope for the best. It did not take long to get to the apartment where Padmé, Obi-Wan and the mysterious Aleia were waiting. The building was typical Coruscant design- tall and thin without much outwards design. Anakin pulled into the familiar docking bay.

_Dang it, she's still here,_ though Anakin when he saw Aleia. She read his mind and mentally slapped him upside the head. He greeted Obi-Wan and Aleia first out of due respect. Neither Anakin nor Padmé had any idea what he actually said to greet her; his eyes were saying it all for him. It seemed to satisfy Obi-Wan and Aleia, though. Obi-Wan and Aleia started towards the turbo lift and Anakin smiled and squeezed her hand in the brief moment before his Master would look back suspiciously.

"It is nice to have you back, young Padawan," said Obi-Wan when they were upstairs. The design of the apartments was more typical of older Coruscant style- modern art. One who knew her could easily tell that Padmé was disappointed that it was not possible to have any living decoration in the apartment.

"It is good to be back, Master," said Anakin. Aleia was looking between Anakin and Padmé distrustfully.

"Because of the circumstances in the Senate, the Council is requesting that we remain with you as you bodyguards," said Obi-Wan. "We are also hoping for leads on the mystery of the Sith."

"What ever is best for the Republic," Padmé sighed.

"Suddenly, I know why we haven't spoken in over 10 years," said Aleia after Anakin and Padmé had left for Naboo on an early flight. They had been discussing politics before they left.

"The Republic's falling apart and I don't see it coming back together any time soon," said Obi-Wan sadly.

"So what, you're just going to ease it apart?" scolded Aleia, looking further into his thoughts. "That's not even what you're talking about! The future is always in motion; what you saw can be changed- you should know that!"

"Aleia, when one actually follows the code, things aren't that simple," Obi-Wan replied bleakly. "The Council would never approve-"

"Back to by-the-book again, I see" Aleia cut him off. "If you would just tell the prized council about-"

"They already know about Anakin and Padmé, who doesn't?" said Obi-Wan grimly.

"So why don't they do to them what they do to the rest?" asked Aleia.

"They don't know what to do with him," said Obi-Wan. "I don't either, half the time. He's here because they think he's the 'chosen one', whatever that means. Qui-Gon found him and I promised him as he was dying that I'd train Anakin."

"And you knew he was too old," Aleia finished for him flatly, completely ignoring the makings of an emotional breakdown.

"Qui-Gon believed in him," said Obi-Wan softly as though that would settle it.

Aleia turned her focus inward and was silent for a moment before she replied, "Well Ben, if and when Anakin joins the ranks of my father, you keep telling yourself that. I'm sure it will be a great comfort."

"What do you mean, 'when?'" Obi-Wan demanded.

Aleia had already left.

Padmé had hoped to contact her parents, but they had arrived a bit late and she did not want to put them out, and especially did not want to deal with her sister's teasing about Anakin again. She and Anakin had returned to the lake country. Obi-Wan and Anakin now sat near the hearth after Padmé and Aleia were asleep. As per Naboo decorating, the small lake house contained more plants that the two Jedi thought were necessary.

"Master, you seem uneasy," said Anakin to Obi-Wan.

"I am," said Obi-Wan through clenched teeth.

"Your visitor troubles you?" asked Anakin hopefully.

"She doesn't trouble me," Obi-Wan began. "She just scares the hell out of me on a regular basis."

"So do I," argued Anakin. "She's a Jedi, isn't she?"

"Arguably." Anakin raised an eyebrow. "She was trained by L'Darrond. He was once a Jedi; I guess some say he still is. He doesn't agree with the code, but he hasn't joined the Dark Side as far as official knowledge goes. His teaching methods were and still are… questionable to say the least," Obi-Wan explained.

"How are they questionable?" asked a now suspicious Anakin. He didn't get to find out because they sensed Aleia approaching.

"There's still something bothering me," she began as she entered. "That bounty hunter, Fett, what happened to his son- er, unaltered clone?" Obi-Wan shrugged. Anakin saw that his master had more than noticed Aleia's rather revealing nightdress. "What about the ship?" Aleia asked. She looked as though she was enjoying the attention. Anakin couldn't resist ruining the moment.

"I was a little preoccupied with my bloody stump of an arm and I didn't see what happened to it," he said while making sure his gold fingers were shining in the firelight. Aleia threw him another of her dark looks.

"No one saw the ship," said Obi-Wan.

"Damn," she muttered and left as quickly as she'd come.

After a pause, Anakin asked, "Is she always like that- getting what she wants and then leaving without explanation?"

Obi-Wan smiled as he looked back on years of Aleia's abruptness and said, "You don't want to know the half of it." He got up and left Anakin sitting open mouthed.

A sudden explosion woke Padmé that night. The chatter in the other room silenced and Padmé heard the sound of feet running in the direction of the turbo lift. She couldn't take the suspense and eased out of bed. She tiptoed to the doorway, only to be gently shoved back in to the room by a serious looking Anakin. "What's happening?" she asked

"I don't know, but we're leaving," said Anakin.

"But-"

"Just get what you need. Master Obi-Wan said we have to get off Naboo."


	4. Escape

Obi-Wan and Aleia crept soundlessly down the stairs. They had sent Anakin to get Padmé and bring her out safely, knowing she would not be happy, but would probably listen to Anakin more than anyone else. Obi-Wan just hoped that both Anakin and Aleia would not do anything stupid.

Aleia reached the next flight of stairs first. She leapt gracefully off the top and landed silently. Obi-Wan did the same, though not as showy, landing next to her. He gave her a stern "this isn't training any more; stop showing off," look. She looked back playfully and smirked before starting off for the hanger.

_Great, battle humor,_ Obi-Wan thought to himself. _Then again, that's not surprising._ Aleia hadn't had an easy childhood, or at least Obi-Wan gathered that much from the commanding presence she had at her young age. All he knew for sure was that Aleia was a piece of work.

Aleia sighed as they approached the hanger as though she knew something Obi-Wan didn't, which annoyed the hell out of him. They hid behind a pillar and didn't need to peek around to know there were squadrons of battle droids preparing to storm the hotel lobby.

"All right, just follow my le- Aleia?" Obi-Wan began, but Aleia had already jumped out and hit the ground running. She blocked shots in all directions almost effortlessly. Obi-Wan joined her moments later.

"I ran in to these on Malastar a while ago," she said. They destroyed the lines and rested briefly before the next group arrived.

"Aleia, you haven't changed," said Obi-Wan.

"What ever could you mean?" she said playfully as she twirled her gold bladed lightsaber around as a rabid colorguard member might do with a flag. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Let's just say that your abruptness won't always cut it," he said.

"Don't' start-" said Aleia, for they both sensed more droids coming. A dozen destroyer droids rolled out to meet them.

"Oh I these blasted things," said Obi-Wan. Aleia smirked. "Oh no, Aleia-"

It was too late. She went flying at the droids and tried to break their shields, but on contact, her gold blade flashed blue, green, purple, red and then black before dying completely. She flipped backwards and landed behind Obi-Wan.

"That wasn't what I'd planned," said Aleia as she ignited another lightsaber, this one with a red blade. "You could have told me I can't break the shield."

"I tried," said Obi-Wan grinning. "If you'd only listen once in a while-"

"Shut up, I've got an idea," she said.

Obi-Wan groaned, "Not again."

Aleia stopped suddenly. She turned to Obi-Wan and put a hand up to the droids, sending a wave of Force and knocking them all over; "What did you say to me Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

With the droids in a junk heap and a few minutes before the next round, Obi-Wan laughed. "That's called aggression, they have workshops for that."

"Hey, if it works…" Aleia started as she Force summoned her gold blade back to her. Another round of fire started.

"Let's go."

Padmé changed into a simple dark tunic before they left. She wasn't happy about leaving, but Anakin had sweet-talked her into it. They crept down toward the hanger without a word. Anakin had explained that Obi-Wan and Aleia were trying to hold off the droids as long as they could. Padmé winced as they neared the battle and Anakin pulled her closer to him. At the doorway just before the hanger, Anakin pulled her aside behind the same pillar Aleia and Obi-Wan had hid behind not long before.

"Shouldn't they hear the shots in the plaza outside?" asked Padmé.

"I know," said Anakin. "Just follow my lead and I'll get us across."

He pulled her arms through the sleeves of his cloak and took her hands. He kissed her cheek briefly and put on a Jedi burst of speed, slowing down only when they were well up the entrance ramp. The two of them (now under their own cloaks) raced into the cockpit. Anakin practically dove into the pilot's chair, while Padmé modestly took the navigator's chair (she could have sworn she heard Aleia, through the ship's hull, in the midst of battle and surrounded by battle droid carnage, shouting, "Was she under his cloak?").

"Trigger, trigger, where is it… AH HA!" said Anakin as he searched the panel. He grabbed the trigger and started blasting the droids out of Obi-Wan and Aleia's way. With two Jedi and a ship's cannons, the droids were down in no time, allowing Obi-Wan and Aleia to get on board safely before more arrived.

"He flies too?" said Aleia reaching the cockpit. "Is there anything wonder-boy doesn't do?"

"Modesty," said Padmé and Obi-Wan as Anakin flew the ship out of the hanger and into the Naboo sky.

"Where to, Master?" asked Anakin, slightly peeved.

"Anywhere not here," sighed Obi-Wan, wiping his brow.

"How about Bespin?" said Aleia. "I've got friends there, I think…"

"The cities in the clouds?" said Padmé.

"You THINK?" said Anakin as he set their course and jumped to light speed.

"It has been a while… don't worry, I'll get us around, trust me," said Aleia.

"That's what I'm afraid of," said Anakin.

Padmé left the cockpit trying unsuccessfully to hold in a grin.

"Aleia, go with her," said Obi-Wan. Aleia, sensing a lecture and feeling generous, obliged.

"Which lecture is this, Master?" said Anakin as soon as she'd left. "Anger, fear, patience, economics of politics… modesty?"

"Padmé," Obi-Wan replied simply.

Anakin stared straight ahead. He and Padmé had been married that evening before Obi-Wan and Aleia arrived, and he wasn't about to incriminate himself.

"Don't think you know what I'm going to say, because I understand," said Obi-Wan.  
Anakin turned to Obi-Wan with new interest.

"I'm not going into details," said Obi-Wan quickly. "Now, the Council would disapprove if they knew, but until we return Senator Amidala safely to Coruscant or Naboo, and as long as things don't get out of hand, I'll turn a blind eye."

"Th-thank you, Master," Anakin stammered as he stared in awe at his now much more respected Master. "But why?"

Obi-Wan said nothing. He got up and left in the direction Aleia had gone.

"You told him what?" said Aleia.

"I'd turn a blind eye for the time being, as long as it doesn't get out of hand," said Obi-Wan. "I'm sure you understand."

"What the hell did you tell him that for? Ben, she was in his cloak!" scolded Aleia.

"Aleia, we're powerless to stop him. Besides, I'm hoping Padmé can mellow him out some," said Obi-Wan. "It's only till we return."

"Why the hell would I understand?" said Aleia.

"Hey, you wanted me to loosen up," he said and pulled the table out from under her.  
Aleia had been leaning her chair on the wall and balancing with her feet on the table.

"Damn you, Ben!" she shouted from the floor. She slid herself down the slick floor towards Obi-Wan and popped up next to him.

"You know," Obi-Wan began, sneaking his arm around her, "Anakin and Padmé aren't the only ones I'll turn a blind eye to…"

As a Jedi Master, he turned a blind eye to his feelings about Aleia; as a horny 35 year old, he focused all his attention to acting on them. Aleia looked up at him and suddenly seemed young, sweet and innocent… then she spat in his face. Obi-Wan wiped his face with his sleeve and glared at Aleia, who then knocked him backward and started making up for lost time.

Padmé couldn't sleep, so she wandered back to the cockpit. She found Anakin asleep at the controls (thankfully, the ship was on auto pilot). He jumped as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm awake!" he yelled. Padmé laughed.

"I know," she said gently. "Some wedding night, huh? How much farther to Bespin?"

"Not too far, I think… wait a minute. What's- oh shit," said Anakin as he looked at the screens.

"What now?" Padmé said, leaning on Anakin from behind with her arms around him.

"We're being followed," said Anakin. "I don't sense a homing devise; I'll have to loose him- or her," he added as her grip tightened painfully.

Padmé smiled and kissed him before sliding into the copilot's seat. Anakin pulled them out of hyper drive with an evil grin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, fugitives and convicts, slime of the universe: I give you podracing," he said. Padmé's smile disappeared and she grabbed the seat firmly.

Anakin chuckled, "Relax, I'm very good at this."

"I've seen, and that's not comforting," said Padmé.

Anakin just smiled and planed his moves. He started using some of the same maneuvers he'd used while following Zam the assassin back on Coruscant. It was basically the same thing but without the lanes of sky traffic. Their pursuer followed. Anakin gave a dramatic yawn as he put them into a controlled downward spiral.

"You're insane," groaned Padmé, looking slightly green.

"Hey, you married me," said Anakin as he watched the other ship copy him. Anakin pulled up just before some cosmic debris; the other ship veered to the left.

"Good," he said.

"BAD!" yelled Aleia as she and Obi-Wan hung on to the doorway for dear life. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Loosing a parasite," said Anakin.

"And showing off," Padmé finished for him, holding her stomach.

Aleia checked the scanners and saw the pursuing ship and it's disgruntled pilot desperately trying to copy the Jedi transport and it's obviously skilled yet reckless pilot.

"Well why didn't you come get us?" she said.

Anakin ignored her and veered down and to the right. Something shook the ship good and hard; something else clanged around in the back. Alerts were starting to sound.

"Gee, that sounded great," said Aleia sarcastically.

"Thank you for that assessment," said Anakin, returning the sarcasm. He stood up and shoved Aleia into the pilot's seat. "I'm gonna go fix whatever broke. If you're so great, you pilot us out of this."

"Oh no," said Obi-Wan as Aleia took the controls. Aleia ignored his statement for the time being.

"You're certain there's no homing devise?" said Padmé; she half hoped there was, just to avoid more podracing.

Aleia and Obi-Wan shut their eyes briefly and nodded. Padmé smiled weakly. She was torn between staying for the action and lying down, but decided to stay since she was sick of being told what happened after the fact.

Aleia started flying even more recklessly than Anakin had. She changed directions every few seconds and curving every which way.

"Hey, if only something broke and started spewing smoke, you could see the patterns- I just spelled my name!" she said happily.

"Aleia…" warned Obi-Wan, also holding his stomach. She grinned and floored it. Aleia looped their pursuer with ease and flew straight up.

"Ouch!" Anakin's voice crackled over the intercom. "You wanna watch it up there? Keep knocking me around and we'll need a new ship!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Aleia in mock apology.

"No, I'm serious! My arm was tangled in a wire and you just made me rip it out!" he explained.

"The arm or the wires?" said Aleia to Obi-Wan and Padmé. She checked the scopes and the ship was nowhere in sight.

"Just jump to light speed," said Obi-Wan with a hand on his temple. Aleia pulled the handle, but nothing happened. She pushed it back and tried again- still nothing.  
She repeated the procedure over and over.

"DAMN IT! Why won't the mother fu-" Aleia began, but Obi-Wan lunged forward and put a hand over her mouth.

"I'll see you clean up your mouth one way or an- OW!" he said, but then Aleia bit his hand.

"You're thinking I'm a bitch like it's a bad thing," she said sweetly, reading his thoughts.

"I hate to ruin the moment," said Padmé, "but I don't think we can get to Bespin with no hyper drive."

"Damn," Aleia muttered once more. She punched the intercom and said, "Anakin, tell me those repairs coming well."

"What's you're definition of that?" came the answer. Aleia sighed heavily.

"Hang on," said Anakin. "Try it now."

Aleia pulled the lever and yet again nothing happened. She said into the comlink,

"Nothing. Just hang on, I'm coming back there."

"Oh great."

Obi-Wan took the controls as Aleia left. Padmé rubbed her head.

"I hate flying," said Obi-Wan. "There's nothing on the scopes, I think they gave up."

"AH HAH!" they heard on the comlink. Aleia was laughing pretty hard, given the situation. "At last, after years of travel around the galaxy, I have found a man who plugs and extension cord into itself and can't figure out for the life of him why it won't work!"

"SHUT UP!" Anakin yelled back.

"Should we find a place to land?" asked Obi-Wan, fighting back a laugh.

"Probably," said Anakin and Aleia in unison.

"Where are we?" asked Padmé.

"No where near Bespin," said Obi-Wan. I think we're on the other side of the Outer Rim from Naboo, if we're still in the Republic."

Padmé stared out the window and said, "What's the nearest planet?"

Obi-Wan typed their position into the computer.

"Dantooine," he read. 

"Dantooine?" said a voice from the door. Aleia was standing in the door frame with a sarcastic look on her face. Padmé nodded. "Come with me, Senator. You're going to see an image change."

She dragged Padmé out of the cockpit. The pushed past Anakin as they ran down the narrow corridor. He looked back curiously and Padmé shrugged and smiled- she was too tired at that point to do anything else.

Anakin continued on to the cockpit. Obi-Wan gestured at the copilot's seat.

"Where's the traveling circus off to next?" asked Anakin.

"Dantooine," said Obi-Wan. "It's like Tatooine, except with less illegal activity and more trees."

"So where is Aleia taking Padmé?" asked Anakin.

Obi-Wan began reflecting again.

"My young Padawan, I've known Aleia for over a decade. Not once in those ten years have I ever known what she had planed," he said. "Come to think of it, I don't think even she knows what she's doing half the time."

A little while later, they sensed Aleia and Padmé returning, but they weren't prepared for the sight. Aleia looked the same, but other than her face, Padmé was almost unrecognizable. She had on over her dark tunic a long black cloak. Her long curly hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a thin braid wrapped around it a few times and then falling on her right shoulder. It was the traditional appearance of the female Jedi apprentice.

"Aleia, what did you do?" said Obi-Wan slowly.

"I heard you saying that Dantooine has no love for politicians, and our Senator needed a makeover," explained Aleia.

Anakin had stood up and was staring slightly open mouthed at his wife; he had always liked her better when she was the centerpiece, rather than it being the elaborate gowns her position often required. Padmé looked like she was enjoying the attention.

Aleia continued, "She'll be posing as my apprentice for the time, and she has to look the part."

"There's just one problem, besides the Council's obvious disapproval," said Obi-Wan.

"There is the possibility of Anakin's 'aggressive negotiation'. Then what does she do?"

"Ah yes," said Aleia. "Well, that's easily worked out." She began digging into her cloak of many pockets. "Hang on- not the gold one… nope, that's a blaster, you got that… that's a comlink… YES! –No, that's pepper spray…"

Anakin threw a sidelong doubtful look at Obi-Wan as Aleia the human safe dug through her cloak.

"GOT IT!" said Aleia. She pulled a lightsaber out of her cloak and ignited it- it was the red blade. Anakin jumped slightly at the sight of another red blade, but recovered quick enough to reach over and close Padmé's dropped jaw.

"Aleia, I couldn't-" she began, but Aleia turned it off and shoved it into Padmé's hand.

"Take it," she said. "When we get there, just follow our lead and pray for luck."

She slid past Anakin into the copilot's seat.

Padmé smiled nervously and sat down across from the navigator's seat, which Anakin took. He leaned over and whispered, "Don't worry, all an apprentice has to do is stand there and look intimidating."

"You seem to over step your role a bit much, then," said Padmé.

"Only around you," he replied and kissed her quickly so not to attract attention from the masters, despite Obi-Wan's leniency.

They landed smoothly on the outskirts of the settlement. All four of them set off for the back of the ship that Anakin and Aleia had been tearing apart. They'd taken a few tiles off the floor and climbed in to try to find the break.

"Don't worry, I'm good at fixing things," said Anakin as he climbed in to the pit of doom. Aleia rolled her eyes from above.

"Is it supposed to look that messy?" asked Padmé. Anakin ignored her remark and climbed into the floor.

"Let's see, the hyper drive is hooked up here; does anyone have a paper clip for the power supply?" they heard from below.

"Why do you need a paperclip?" asked Obi-Wan from above with his hand over his eyes.

"The circuit's broken!" Anakin yelled up. He sensed they all had doubtful looks on their faces, so he explained, "Come on, how do you think my pod and 3PO are held together?"

"That explains a lot," said Aleia, who was not the president of the 3PO fan club, to say the least. Padmé pulled a pin out of her hair and handed it down to Anakin. Aleia looked over the edge into the pit before heading back to the cockpit. She laughed out loud as soon as she was out of the room. Anakin let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, can you fix it, Anakin?" said Obi-Wan.

Anakin dug through the wires a bit more before saying, "If there's a welder somewhere on board, then I can."

"I'll check the tools in the cockpit," said Obi-Wan and he left.

"What all isn't working?" asked Padmé.

"Power supply for one- like I said, that's what I need to weld the hair pin into, hyper drive-" Anakin began.

"SKYWALKER!" Aleia yelled over the comlink. "With all your messing around, YOU BROKE THE RADIO!"

"You'll live!" Anakin shouted up, even though he knew she wouldn't hear him. "WELDER!"

He dug through the wires looking for the radio cord. A shock told him he'd found it. Anakin was about to screw it back in when an idea occurred to him. He climbed out of the hole and looked up at Padmé.

"I found the break, but my hands are too big to fit," he said and grabbed Padmé's hands. "Yours might, though."

Anakin slid back into the pit and pulled Padmé in after him.

"You see that, right there?" he said, guiding her hands to the dangling wire.

"Yes," said Padmé, who was thanking her lucky stars that it was dark enough to hide her blush. She took the loose wire and plugged it back in, thinking that there wasn't any reason Anakin couldn't have done it himself. She didn't complain, though; it was close quarters.

"So while I'm down here, where's the hyper drive?" she said.

"It's in another sector," said Anakin. "Maybe I can make it work with a ring."

"Shut up," said Padmé as she elbowed him in the stomach. Sarcasm played a big part in Anakin and Padmé's relationship; it was almost like saying, "Just shut the hell up and kiss me," which Anakin did.

Neither Anakin nor Obi-Wan knew (or would admit if they did) how similar their love lives were. Both technically couldn't have a love life, yet both did; both had notoriously sarcastic women in their lives and were notoriously sarcastic themselves; both made certain that no one knew the half of their personal escapades.

Obi-Wan entered the cockpit to find Aleia flipping switches and hitting buttons like mad. She knew Obi-Wan had entered the room, but in no way acknowledged his presence. This bothered Obi-Wan slightly.

"Are you planning on tearing apart the entire ship single handedly?" he asked sarcastically.

"Maybe. Skywalker might help," she said from the pilot's chair. "Everything seems to work except the hyper drive and the-"

The radio came on blasting.

"Ok, so he fixed the radio," said Aleia, turning it down. "That doesn't mean I have to like him."

"Anakin wants to know if there's a welder on board," said Obi-Wan.

Aleia felt around her pockets and said, "Nope, not on me."

"What about the tool box on the dash?" Obi-Wan asked logically.

"Oh," said Aleia. "Nope, that's just nuts and bolts."

Obi-Wan raised and eyebrow and smiled, desperately trying to hold in a laugh. Aleia groaned and slid down under the dash to replace the piece she'd literally ripped out.

"So where's the hyper drive?" she asked.

"You know, I think I'll take care of that," said Obi-Wan quickly.

"Ben, you couldn't fix a puzzle," Aleia laughed.

Obi-Wan glared at the feet sticking out from under the dash and said, "I'm a good mechanic. You blow things up on a regular basis."

A screwdriver came flying out and just barley missed Obi-Wan's head. Aleia pushed herself out and popped up in the pilot's chair. Obi-Wan picked up the screwdriver and spun it around a bit, looking at Aleia as though he'd never seen anything like her before in his life, which he hadn't.

"Aleia, you're a piece of work," he said.

"Just shut the hell up and kiss me," said Aleia as she shifted position in the chair and looked at Obi-Wan invitingly. Obi-Wan took her in his arms as she put hers about him, and-

"Master?" said Anakin. He and Padmé were standing in the doorway with expressions of disbelief on their faces. Aleia sank quickly back under the dash to hide her red face; Obi-Wan hopped into the seat behind the pilot's and put his feet up.

"Yes, Anakin?" he said in a tense-but-trying-to-sound-calm voice.

"I was going to ask if you found a welder, but don't let me interrupt," said Anakin, still in shock.

Aleia gave a series of false coughs that sounded oddly like, "GO! LEAVE! NOW!"  
Padmé turned to oblige; she suspected there was some Jedi rule(s) in strict violation and did not want to be around for whatever lecture followed. Anakin, however, knowing his temper and that he was less likely to blow it if she stayed, hung on to Padmé's elbow. He sensed and explanation coming from Obi-Wan.

"You're wondering how you're by-the-book master could break the code like this," said Obi-Wan as Aleia popped back up into the pilot's seat. Obi-Wan gestured for Anakin and Padmé to sit down. Padmé took the copilot's seat and Anakin the navigator's.

"I must admit my surprise, Master," said Anakin slowly.

"This is the only part of the code I do not agree with," said Obi-Wan. "A Jedi may have friends, but nothing more, although they would give their lives for both."  
Aleia sighed and said, "I don't really agree with this code to begin with, so it doesn't matter either way to me."

"Does the Council know?" asked Anakin.

"As of yet, no," said Obi-Wan.

"Is it against your precious code to amend it?" spat Aleia.

"Probably," said Anakin.

"I shall discuss it with the Council if the problem persists when we return home," said Obi-Wan. "Now about that welder: why don't you head into the settlement and buy a new one?"

"Yes, Master," said Anakin. He and Padmé got up to leave and were off the ship in about five minutes. Aleia sat in Obi-Wan's lap as they watched them leave, walking so close they cast only one shadow.

"Can you believe him?" said Aleia. "Blatant violation of-"

"Can you spell 'hypocrite'?" said Obi-Wan.

"Well, we're both Jedi," said Aleia, unconvincing coming from her.

"Does it matter?" said Obi-Wan. "You don't even follow the code to begin with."

"They need more Jedi, we give 'em more Jedi," said Aleia determinedly.

Obi-Wan let her fall to the ground.

"I mean eventually," she added.

Obi-Wan leaned back in his chair, surprised and shocked as he usually was around  
Aleia, who came over and sat on his lap once again.

"Oh Ben," she said smiling. "You look like you're afraid of me."

"Believe me, some days I am," he replied and kissed her neck.


	5. Arrival at Bespin

"What language is that written in?"asked Anakin as they neared town. They had landed in an open field with tall grass that became less as they neared the town.

"It looks like an old Outer Rim dialect," said Padmé, surveying the sign closely. "At one time, the entire Outer Rim was separate from the Republic, and that's what they spoke. I learned some back home."

"What does the sign say?" asked Anakin.

"Nothing I recognize," said Padmé. "It's probably the name of the town."

The settlement was nothing like Anakin had seen before. It looked something like Coruscant, but not as massive and on one level. It had a few trees reminiscent of Naboo, but still different. The inhabitants looked humanoid, but they were speaking the Outer Rim dialect.

Someone came up to them and asked, _"Quelle heure est-il?"_

Anakin thought they'd asked something about the color teal, but Padmé cut off his smart-ass response.

_"Je ne sais pas,"_ she said.

_"Merci,"_ said the stranger and left. Anakin stared at Padmé.

"June say pah?"

"It means 'I don't know'," she explained through chuckles. "He asked what time it is."

Anakin was a bit irritated that Padmé had an edge on him in this city (knowing the language), but decided not to push it. Padmé knew him too well for that to work.

"Oh come on," she said. "I only understand a few words of Huttese, if it makes you feel any better. Besides" –she changed her tone- "if we can't find what we need before dark, we'll have to stay here overnight."

"So?" snapped Anakin, letting his temper get the best of him and completely missing his wife's drift. Padmé rolled her eyes.

"We haven't exactly had a honeymoon- as of yet," she said.

Anakin smiled down at her and said, "I like the way you're thinking." He put an arm around her and gently kissed her forehead.

They were beginning to see more and more junk dealers as they walked farther into the city. Anakin sighed as he once again was forced to push aside pleasant thoughts and use knowledge he'd acquired as a slave.

"Go to a smaller one, they're more selective with the junk they carry," he said.

"Selective with junk…" mumbled Padmé. Anakin smiled as they entered. It was fairly dark inside. It reminded Anakin of Watto's junk shop too much for comfort. He tensed up, thinking of the long, hot days he'd spent fixing machinery. Padmé didn't need the power of the Force to sense that Anakin was on a painful trip down memory lane and gave his hand a squeeze. A humanoid walked over to them counting money from his sale.

_"Qu'est-ce que vous voulez?"_ he said.

"Sure… do you have a welder?" said Anakin. The owner glared at him.

_"Nous ne parlons pas _Basic_ ici,"_ he said icily.

Padmé quickly translated, and the owner glared at Anakin once more before leading them back to the selection.

"What was that about?" whispered Anakin.

"They're proud to speak the Old Outer Rim dialect," said Padmé. "He was insulted that you use Basic and not that. Just let me translate."

Anakin really wanted to get out alive, so he said nothing. The owner mentioned it as they were leaving, though.

_"Il ne sait pas O.O.R?"_ he said.

"What does that mean?" said Anakin.

"He asked if you speak the Old Outer Rim," said Padmé. _"Si, il ne le sait pas."_

The owner sniffed and waved them out. They left quickly to avoid more trouble.

"Do you want to try to make it back to the ship?" asked Padmé. The sky was a stunning blood red. Anakin just smiled evilly.

"All right… yes, I understand… see you in the morning," said Obi-Wan into the comlink. He turned to Aleia and explained, "They found the welder but decided it was too dark to return so they're staying the night in the settlement."

Aleia spat out her drink; "What? You're letting them?"

"It's dark and we don't know the planet," replied Obi-Wan naively.

"Did they say how many rooms they're getting?" asked Aleia.

Obi-Wan didn't reply at first.

"Aleia, I'm beginning to think you don't trust Anakin and Padmé," he said in slight disbelief. Aleia of all people would usually support anyone who went against the grain.

"Would you have trusted us at that age and circumstance?" said Aleia, clearing everything up for Obi-Wan.

"Oh shit."

"To think: you're trying to clean up my mouth," she smirked. "Well, just watch them when they come back; if he looks happy then you're screwed."

"What have I done with this 'blind eye' thing?" said Obi-Wan with his head in his hands.

"Congratulations, you've done more damage than even me with one phrase, and that's saying something!" said Aleia and patted him on the back.

Obi-Wan looked up and said, "You're not helping."

"Relax, they'll never see each other after this mission," said Aleia.

"If this mission ever ends," said Obi-Wan. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Too true," said Aleia and kissed him.

"This is out of hand," said Obi-Wan.

"Does it matter?" said Aleia. By that time she'd worked her way onto his lap and into his arms and pinned him against the wall.

The welder purchased and other things taken care of, Anakin and Padmé started back to the ship first thing in the morning. Anakin had his arm around Padmé and she leaned her head on his shoulder. They didn't speak much, but occasionally started giggling for no apparent reason. They approached the ship slightly apprehensively; how much would Obi-Wan and Aleia guess?

Obi-Wan was fixing something near the entry ramp that had rusted down. Anakin and Padmé, in two shadows now, hoped they didn't seem too suspicious. Aleia was messing with something in the cockpit. She glared at them through the front window.

"She knows," mumbled Anakin after Obi-Wan was out of hearing range.

"Don't be stupid," said Padmé. "She always looks at you like that."

"I don't care; she knows," said Anakin tensely.

"Well, if you wouldn't act so tense then she wouldn't suspect anything," said Padmé.

"You even said you wouldn't want to get on her bad side," snapped Anakin.

"Heal, Ani," said Padmé as she grabbed his braid.

"Shut up," said Anakin grinning.

Aleia came around the corner tossing a wrench between her hands. Padmé let go of the braid quickly.

"The Council contacted us while you were away," said Aleia non-pulsed. "We told them of Senator Amidala's disguise and they approve. She has been relieved of her duties in the Senate until the employer of the assassins are caught."

"That could be a while, I have a lot of enemies," said Padmé calmly.

"They know," said Aleia, returning her smile. "We have a mission on Cloud City; we got reports of corruption or something like that."

"Is she going as Senator Amidala or your mysterious apprentice?" asked Anakin.

"Mysterious apprentice," said Aleia with the annoyed tone that seemed to add, "you ass-hole," to the end of her statement. "They said you may reveal yourself if necessary, but that's not likely."

Padmé nodded and left for her room. Not being a Jedi, she didn't sense the tension and hard feelings in the room between Anakin and Aleia, although she could guess. Anakin thought it best not to follow Padmé since he was already on thin ice, so he sat down and dug some small silver spheres out of his pocket and began using the Force to manipulate them. It was usually a relaxing exercise, but Aleia ruined that by popping her hand open and igniting a flame in her palm. Anakin let the spheres drop.

"Do you really have to keep trying to intimidate me?" he asked exasperatedly.

"Oh, definitely," she said with a smirk. Obi-Wan called to her from the entry way and she turned to go help him. The flame went out as she dropped her hand.

Anakin made the spheres float once more but it didn't do much. He would much rather have left with Padmé, but under the given time, his master regretting his earlier statement, Anakin forced himself to look away.

If I can't have fun, I'll just make sure they don't have any either, he thought and set off for the cockpit.

Padmé slept fitfully that night. Her dreams were haunted with Anakin's slaughter of the Tusken Raiders; only all of the slain had her face. The Anakin in the dreams didn't seem to notice; he was too consumed with his anger against them.  
Padmé awoke time after time in a cold sweat. She had started doubting her logic; she had married a Jedi. As if it wasn't bad enough, Anakin possibly held the fate of the galaxy in his hands, not to mention the likelihood of what would happen in the Senate if they found out. Padmé knew he wasn't the type who could be controlled by anyone, and a gut feeling told her that the galaxy could either capitalize on that or…

"You're being ridiculous," Padmé told herself. She rolled off her low sleep couch and onto the floor. She stared up at the ceiling of the small room trying to clear her mind, but it only confused her more. She grabbed the "Jedi" robe and headed out toward the sound of voices. It sounded like Anakin and Aleia were finally having it out. Anakin made a lot of headstrong people angry with him, so Padmé wasn't surprised until there was a loud clang of a tool hitting the dash. Hoping to be able to eavesdrop, she tiptoed to the side of the open door.

"What's wrong with you?" said Aleia. "I'm not blind; I see what's going on even if Obi-Wan doesn't."

"You should talk," Anakin shot back coldly.

"If she were a Jedi, it would be different, but she's a politician," Aleia defended.

"A damn good one at that," Anakin snapped, his voice rising. "Why should it  
matter?"

There was no reply at first.

"You're impossible."

"You too."

Aleia stormed past Padmé without noticing her. She was so angry with Anakin that nothing would distract her. Anakin walked over to the doorway, but he didn't see Padmé either. He stared after Aleia, blue eyes blazing with anger. She heard him slump back into a seat. Padmé, slightly scared for her life, turned to go back to her room.

"You don't have to leave," Anakin said from within. Padmé smiled and reminded herself that she'd never be able to hide from him. She entered to find him slumped in the pilot's seat.

"You don't have to defend me next time," Padmé said as she sat down on his lap and put her arms around him.

"Yes, I do," Anakin replied firmly.

She took his meaning, but asked, "Do you think they'll separate us on Naboo or  
Coruscant, wherever I end up?"

"I don't know," said Anakin, looking away. "I don't know anything."

"Yes you do," said Padmé. "You're just going through a rough time."

Anakin leaned her head against her and stared out the window sadly, feeling like a lost little boy.

"Aleia, I'm behind you, but please let me deal with it."

"You have no idea of what they're into!"

"I know enough, and that should be enough for you."

"Ben, I think they're married."

"What?"

"If not, then they've at least-"

"ALEIA!"

"If she were a Jedi, too, I wouldn't care, but she's a Senator! That's just inviting trouble, for the Order and the Senate."

"What am I supposed to do at this point? I can't exactly lead by example."

"We're friends who just happen to-"

"Drop it."

"Ben-"

"Believe me, Anakin gets bored with everything in time."

"He's thought of her every day for ten years, and what about her feelings?"

"Just trust me."

"Oh no. Fasten your seatbelts, boys and girls; we're all gonna die."

A strange spacecraft landed on Cloud City late that night. A dark robed figure disembarked and bypassed security by merely eyeing the guards. The floating city was really quite a site and mechanical wonder, but this visitor was in no mood to notice. The Cloud City administrator met him at the entrance to the city.

"They aren't here yet," said the administrator. "You said they'd be here by now! That bounty hunter is getting restless!"

"Relax, the Council sent them, they'll be here," said the dark stranger, giving off a contagious sense of security.

"This is out of hand," sighed the administrator. "This could destroy the entire settlement if it backfires."

"If my information holds, we can all benefit," said the mysterious stranger calmly.

"But I guarantee they'll be here."

"Hope you're not too attached to the one you're giving to us," said the administrator slyly.

"What were you planning, administrator?" asked the stranger, suddenly icy.

"I'm sure we can negotiate everything," the administrator said quickly.

"Maybe I should tell the bounty hunter to go somewhere else and pay someone else."

"I won't kill her…"

"From commanding personnel of a potential house of tortures, that statement has absolutely no value."

An armor-clad bounty hunter joined the two and was accompanied by a small boy of about ten. The administrator looked as though his pulse rate doubled.

"Boba, is this your friend who will take care of the Senator?" asked the dark stranger.

"Yep," said the boy. Boba had never been one for small talk.

"See? It all works out," said the tense administrator. "You get your Jedi, Boba gets his Senator, and I get my revenge."

Anakin brought the ship out of hyper drive. The floating city looked a bit like a mechanical flower in the clouds, reflecting the early light. It was possible to see the massive, rosy gas planet below in the gaps between clouds. The ship was cleared for landing and Anakin set them down on the landing platform. The group walked off the platform and found the lax security unnerving. Everything was bright and seemingly happy, but all four were thinking the same thing: I have a bad feeling about this. The administrator met them in the hallway.

"Ah, you must be the Jedi," he said, looking relieved.

"You were expecting us?" said Obi-Wan. In his experience, being expected when you landed without prior notice was never good.

"The stars told us of you're coming presence," the administrator said matter-of-factly.

Anakin groaned but the rest looked at the administrator strangely.

"Haven't you ever heard of Astrology?" the administrator said.

"Can't say I have," said Aleia suspiciously.

"It's like fortune telling," said Anakin. "Astrology is a leap of faith that one can tell the future by the position of the stars. They live by it on Tatooine."

"It sounds so derogatory when you put it that way," said the administrator. "We've seen it proven true here enough to believe. Now I imagine you all must be tired  
from you're voyage."

"Not rea-"

"I thought so."

He led them to the apartment complexes in the other end of the city. There were all sorts of life forms on the way there carrying various tools and parts through the white, sparkling clean hallways. Even Anakin hadn't seen some of the creatures before, and just about everything came and went from Watto's junk shop. There was something that seemed oddly false about the whole operation.

I don't like this, they all thought simultaneously.

The apartments were sparkling white like everything else. There was a long wrap around couch facing a window that took up the entire wall, along with a few chairs, a low coffee table and a counter along the window with a few stools at it. The furniture was all leather and the view was better than the one seen when landing the ship. No one was really in the mood to enjoy it, though.

"I feel like I haven't slept in a week," said Padmé rubbing her eyes after the administrator had left. She and Aleia flopped onto the couch while Anakin and Obi-Wan remained standing.

"What I wouldn't give to see this place covered in mud," said Aleia dreamily.

"Doesn't this seem a bit clean for a mining colony?" said Anakin to Obi-Wan. His master nodded.

"Aleia, don't you sense that something isn't quite right?" said Obi-Wan.

"Nothing ever feels right here; it's run by fugitives and conmen," said Aleia. "All the creeps that didn't make their fortune selling death sticks come here to work in the mines."

"That's comforting," said Anakin.

"Don't worry, I got connections here," said Aleia through a yawn.

"By 'connections', you don't by chance mean 'assassins who want you dead', do you?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Padmé, help, they're ganging up on me!"

Padmé didn't answer; she was already asleep.

"I think that's a hint," said Obi-Wan through a yawn. He started towards one of the three adjoining rooms. Aleia gave Obi-Wan a sad puppy face and tried to look loveable, but he shut the door without a look backward. Aleia glared at the door and took the second room, leaving Padmé asleep on the couch and Anakin leaning on the couch behind her. He unfolded a blanket he'd been leaning on and laid it across his sleeping wife. Anakin bent down and kissed her before taking the last room.

Padmé woke up sometime during the night. She took a moment to remember where she was. She opened her eyes at the sound of footsteps to see Anakin, shirtless, leaning on the counter and looking out the window, his golden arm glistening in the moonlight. He sensed that Padmé was awake and started over to her. Padmé sat up slightly and could instantly tell as Anakin sat down that something was really bothering him.

"Dream?" she asked simply.

He nodded as he sank into a deep meditation, presumably to sort out his troubled visions. Padmé had always thought that Jedi meditation was best a solitary exercise, but apparently Anakin found her presence soothing. Having seen him in the midst of a dream, Padmé knew he needed whatever her presence gave him. Padmé laid her head on head down on his lap and closed her eyes again. She was almost back to sleep when Anakin tried to explain himself.

"It's my mother's death again," he said softly.

Padmé looked up at him with compassion; he dreamed of the last trip to Tatooine often and he'd told Padmé about it before.

"I heard Master Qui-Gon more clearly this time," he said. "He's trying to tell me something."

"Ani, Qui-Gon's dead," said Padmé gently.

"I know, that's what's troubling me," he replied. Anakin sank back into his thoughts (though not as deeply) and began running his fingers through Padmé's hair. The touch of his mechanical hand was slightly unsettling. Anakin's thoughts were apparently (and appropriately) very consuming, for he became rougher and rougher with Padmé's hair, until she sat up and gave Anakin a fixed "don't lie to me; something else is bothering you" look that he knew not to argue with.

"I don't know why I can't move on," he said.

"Are you able to forgive yourself?" asked Padmé.

"What? How can I? Master Obi-Wan–"

"-Might have done the same thing at that point in his training."

Anakin gave her a doubtful look, so she tried again.

"Thing about it. You hadn't eaten or slept since we'd left Naboo; you already disliked the Tuskens; you're mother had just died; and you were and still are in  
training."

Anakin wasn't moved; he was staring straight ahead, eyes dynamic. It always scared Padmé when he looked like that, for it was usually a sign his mind was not his own- in this instance, it was in a bad way. Padmé leaned her head on Anakin's bare shoulder and put her arms around him, hoping her husband would relax. He put his arms around her and started stroking her body. With Anakin's attention, Padmé made one last attempt.

"I know how hard it is to forgive one's self," she said cautiously.

"Go on," said Anakin, half listening.

"I couldn't believe how many had died in the Battle of Theed, all because of my decision. You don't learn a lot about war on a planet like Naboo, so I didn't know what to expect. Master Qui-Gon hit me especially hard; I felt like I'd signed his death certificate myself…"

Padmé stopped dramatically and took a nervous breath. She looked up quickly at Anakin to see if it was working; she was telling the truth, but ulterior motive.

"I still dream about it sometimes," she whispered.

Anakin kissed her softly in comfort, finally himself.

"Forgive and forget," he mumbled.

"Not forget," said Padmé quickly.

Anakin stared at her.

"You have to learn from your mistakes," she explained.

Anakin smiled and shook his head.

"All right, I'm a fortune cookie," laughed Padmé.

"What the hell is that?" asked Anakin.

"They make them on Naboo. They hire the people who can't get jobs anywhere else to write fortunes or proverbs and put them in the cookies. It's like astrology and mining colonies."

Anakin chuckled. They heard Aleia stirring in her room and sensed the danger of being caught together. After one last, long kiss, Anakin went back to his room, leaving Padmé feeling quite alone.

"Where's the Senator? They're all Jedi!" said Boba.

"Relax, little Boba, my information says she'll be here," said the dark stranger.

"Well it's wrong! She's not here."

"Fine, you can have one of my Jedi."

"My father would be amused."

"Who wouldn't want a Jedi?" asked the clueless administrator.

"No one wants one now," said Boba. "There's no price on their heads."

"I thought you said there'd only be two other Jedi besides mine," said the administrator. "How much trouble can this city get into for the betrayal of four  
Jedi?"

The stranger had known who was who all along, but acted as though he'd had a sudden revelation, and said, "Either Madre has truly taken an apprentice," he stopped to laugh, "or we have the Senator."

"Isn't that against some Jedi rule to impersonate one?" asked the administrator.

"You obviously don't know you're prey very well," said the dark stranger.


	6. Escape Again

It had been a week. Obi-Wan and Anakin still couldn't find any evidence other than the sparkling cleanliness that something was wrong. They were driving Aleia, who had apparently lived there at one time, crazy with their suspicions. The only thing the three of them could agree on was to keep all of that from Padmé, who was torn between feelings guilty about her Senatorial duties and enjoying herself.

"See what y'all miss while you're being responsible and saving the galaxy?" said Aleia as she sipped her drink at the counter.

"For once, she has a point, Master," said Anakin smiling slyly.

"It is nice to get away," said Obi-Wan. He hadn't told Aleia their entire mission.

"It feels weird, though," said Padmé.

"All of you relax," said Aleia. "You're cramping my style."

"You don't have style to cramp!" Obi-Wan teased. Aleia gave no outward signs that she'd heard him, but Obi-Wan's drink suddenly spilled onto his lap and Aleia smiled evilly. Padmé and Anakin exchanged grins while Obi-Wan and Aleia were glaring at each other. It was nice to know they were a few steps ahead of their companions in at least one thing over, even if it was a forbidden love life.

"If you'll all excuse me, I'll gonna go find some old friends," said Aleia. She got up and left for the hall. A few of the creatures she passed toke notice of her, but most didn't even look up, passing her off as the usual scum. Although Aleia seemed calm as ever, she also sensed the same danger as Anakin and Obi-Wan. She hadn't really wanted to find any old friends –most had been betrayed to bounty hunters or murdered- she just wanted to follow her feelings. Aleia heard important sounding voices inside a conference room and didn't need to look in to know who was there.

"Have you found the Senator yet?" said a young boy's voice.

"Yes, Boba, I believe I have," said the administrator. "You may take her at will."

Aleia heard two people leave out the door on the other side.

"I shall be taking my Jedi now- all of them," said an all too familiar voice to her.

"But the deal-"

"-Has been changed. You received your money for housing this operation and that shall be enough for you."

"NO! The only reason I agreed to your informing the Council and the Senate of our operation was so I could get revenge on the one with them who almost single handedly destroyed this city! I didn't say anything when your bounty hunter arrived for the Senator, but this is too much!"

Aleia knew she'd stayed too long. The other voice didn't answer; he knew she was there. Aleia ran in the direction she'd come, ducking through hidden hallways to get back to the apartment before the bounty hunter.

"We have to leave- NOW!" she said as she charged back into the room.

"What?" said Padmé.

"I'll explain on the way out, but it's a trap. We were set up. Bounty hunter! Do I have to spell it out?"

"You might be fast, but not fast enough, Jedi," said Boba Fett in the doorway, accompanied by the armored man- probably a friend of his father. The dark figure appeared behind them.

"What the-" Anakin started.

"Aw shit," moaned Aleia.

"Give me the Naboo Senator now and no one gets hurt," said the little boy fiercely.

No one answered. The apparent Sith Lord lit his lightsaber- red blade. Anakin and Obi-Wan winced slightly at the sight of it. Padmé tried to hide her fear; she'd been hoping to get around aggressive negotiation, but no such luck. Aleia, knowing Padmé's insecurity about it, had an idea.

"Now that's not very fair, is it?" she said. "Four on one?"

The Sith Lord smiled, which was never good. A few dozen Cloud City guards appeared from behind the three in the door way and put the four at gunpoint.

"Well, I guess that evens it up a bit," said Anakin, battle humor rising again. The Jedi and Padmé instantaneously lit their lightsabers and chopped the ends off the blasters holding them. It became a fierce battle fairly quickly. It was awfully disturbing that none of the passing creatures paid much attention to the blasts being deflected into the hallway, ducking and dodging and continuing on with their business.

Padmé was doing better than she'd thought. She was doing more dodging than the others, but deflected enough to make people think she just had a more conservative style. The other three were quite a bit more aggressive though. Anakin kept trying to send blasts back at the Sith, but to his annoyance couldn't seem to hit him. As always, Obi-Wan was more conservative with his movements; he'd seen these types of battles turn into hand to hand combat, and he'd seen how the Sith fight. Aleia wasn't focused on the fight, but on what words would inevitably follow.

The Jedi and Padmé were being backed up onto the counter. They were knocking guards down at an excellent pace, but they kept being replaced. The Jedi were tiring and Padmé was exhausted. The Sith Lord stopped the guards' fire and pressed a button that made the glass in the window slide down, revealing a long way down if one lost balance.

"You can't win, Aleia," said the Sith Lord with a smile. "You must face your true destiny beside me."

Aleia's gaze darted around and remained low. Anakin and Obi-Wan could feel a conflict within her, which was never good.

"Aleia, if you won't come willingly, I have other ways of bringing you to your senses," the Sith Lord said, smile and friendly pretenses replaced by a tone that suggested the full potential of his wrath.

"I've changed-" Aleia started unconvincingly.

"Not much," he cut her off. "You're not being logical and you never were. You don't honestly think I'd let my daughter sell herself short by joining the Jedi Order, do you?"

"Daughter?"

"You're right about one thing," said Aleia coldly. "I'm not logical."

With that, she turned off her lightsaber and let herself fall off the ledge. Obi-Wan stepped off immediately after; Anakin grabbed Padmé's hand and jumped. They all landed smoothly and hit the ground running after Aleia, who was not only running to the ship but from her past; it wasn't the first time it had caught up with her. The crew passed a familiar looking ship.

"You were wondering about the kid's ship?" Anakin shouted up at Aleia as they passed Slave I. He was extremely irritated that Aleia was at least half Sith and no one, specifically Obi-Wan, seemed to care, whereas he was only a bit reckless sometimes and everyone, specifically Obi-Wan, went off the deep end.

"Come on," said Aleia coarsely. She ran into the security station as though expecting something to be there. It was obvious by now that she knew what she was doing, whatever it was.

"Aleia, where are we?" asked Obi-Wan.

She ignored him.

"Jengé?" she shouted.

A girl of about the same age of Aleia and Padmé stuck her head around the corner curiously to see who was there. There was recognition in her face as soon as she saw Aleia.

"Aleia Hayley Madre! I thought you were banished for life!" she said.

"That explains a lot," Anakin mumbled.

"I am," said Aleia. "But with the new administrator and all, I thought… anyways I need the security code for Platform 3 so I can get out with my life."

"Oh it's always you, you, you," said Jengé with a smile before her head disappeared and they heard the sound of keys clicking madly. "Ok, it's 9382, security is hot on your tail, and you didn't get the code from me!"

"Thanks, Jengé! I owe you!" said Aleia as they started out. Aleia knew enough hidden hallways and passages to stay a step ahead of security, which was under the control of her father. They reached the Platform and she immediately began punching the code in which thankfully worked. The doors shut just seconds before security arrived. They guards assumed they'd reached the Platform first and stood outside it. The Jedi and Padmé sprinted to the ship at top speed.

"Obi-Wan, fly us out!" Aleia yelled. "Knowing the people here, they did something to the hyper drive to prevent exactly what we're doing now!"

She grabbed Anakin's arm and dragged him to the hyper drive sector while Obi-Wan and Padmé ran to the cockpit.

"Did you know?" asked Padmé as she strapped herself in, expecting a bumpy ride.

"It had been rumored," said Obi-Wan as they lifted off. "She never mentions her parents."

"Why? Who's her mother?" asked Padmé as the first blast came at them.

"Unknown," Obi-Wan said as he dodged the fire.

"Are all your old friends this eccentric?" Padmé asked sarcastically.

"You might say that," Obi-Wan answered with a grin.

In the other end of the ship, Anakin had ripped the tiles off the floor and was searching for the hyper drive cords. Aleia was over top instructing.

"Check there- no, maybe the power source- no-"

"I've been working with machines all my life; I think I know what I'm doing!" Anakin shot up hotly at her. "I thought you said this would be nearly impossible!"

"I did!"

"Well they only unplugged the cord and wrapped it around the rest. No short circuit, no blown fuses, they didn't even cut anything!"

"Wha'd'ya know, I have more friends in Cloud City than I thought!"

"Go tell them in the cockpit that it's fixed!"

Aleia was racing to the front before Anakin had finished talking.

"Punch it!" she yelled and collapsed in the seat behind Obi-Wan.

"Not yet," said Obi-Wan. "They might be tracking us."

"Very true," Aleia agreed. "In that case, just float around for a while and see if you can lure them out."

Anakin stumbled in and collapsed in the navigator's seat behind Padmé.

"Now what do we do?" asked Padmé. "I'd say you found the corruption."

"Now it's the Senate's problem," said Obi-Wan. "We have to return to Coruscant to inform the Council."

"So where do I go from there?" asked Padmé.

"It's still not safe for you to return," said Obi-Wan. "The Chancellor himself requested that Queen Jamillia appoint a temporary replacement."

"It feels like I died and someone forgot to tell me," groaned Padmé.

No one had a reply for that, although Anakin had to cover his mouth in mock yawn to keep from cracking up.

"So Aleia," said Obi-Wan after a bit. "Which of your friends was that who wanted us dead back there?"

Aleia glared at him before replying.

"He's my father," she began. "He's a freelance Sith and thinks I should be, too."

"I thought all Sith were freelance," Anakin commented dryly.

"They're only freelance after they've killed their mentor," she spat at him; Obi-Wan and Anakin gulped uneasily.

"Father thinks I can either make him or break him, so he won't stop looking for me until I'm either on his side or dead."

"And I thought I was dysfunctional," said Anakin.

"Why, what's your story?" asked Aleia.

"My mother and I were slaves on Tatooine," he explained shortly. 

Padmé could tell it was painful for Anakin to talk about his childhood around one as unsympathetic as Aleia, but there was really nothing she could do for the moment.

"You're dad left too?" asked Aleia.

Padmé looked over to see how Anakin took the question, but he seemed all right.

"I never had one. I don't mean I never knew him, I really never had one," he said.

"A virgince?" Aleia snorted.

"That's why Qui-Gon decided to bring him along," said Obi-Wan.

"The way this galaxy works, I shouldn't be surprised," sighed Aleia.

"It'll take us a while to get back to Coruscant," said Obi-Wan, taking the conversation back to a comfortable business tone.

"I'm dead tired; I'm going to bed," said Aleia. "You can probably go into light speed now; I don't sense a homing devise."

She got up, threw a sidelong glance ant Obi-Wan and sauntered out of the cockpit half sleepwalking and they heard her bumping along the whole way. Something clanged hard at about the exact moment Obi-Wan put the ship into hyper drive. The clang was apparently the artificial gravity, for Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé suddenly found out exactly how much force it took to go light speed as they were slammed against wall of the cockpit.

"Aleia!" shouted Obi-Wan.

"I didn't mean to!" came the reply. There was another clang and the heat went out. Something jerked around and Padmé found herself hanging on to the doorway for dear life. Before she could scream, Anakin had grabbed her hand and wouldn't let go any sooner than he'd be a moisture farmer. They heard Aleia slam into something else.

"AH HAH!"

WHAM.

Everything was back. Obi-Wan slumped down onto the floor, but Padmé and Anakin went flying through the doorway and crashed into the wall.

"We're ok!" Anakin shouted.

"Just bruised," groaned Padmé. She'd hit the wall first and then again as Anakin hit. She was laying spread eagle with Anakin on top of her. Aleia glanced at them as she continued into the cockpit. She would have said something to Obi-Wan, but he cut her off.

"Don't even tell me," he groaned.

Anakin and Padmé, completely aware of the closeness, milked the moment for all they could. They were a bit stiff as expected, so they just didn't move as quickly as possible.

"This is cozy," said Anakin softly. He lifted a hand to run through her hair, but Padmé grabbed his tunic and pulled him into a kiss. Obi-Wan ended the moment when he called from the cockpit. Anakin helped Padmé to her feet and they returned to the other two.


	7. and the Arc is complete

Padmé sat in the Jacuzzi, still stunned at where her life had taken her. In order to maintain her safety, Padmé was still posing as Aleia's apprentice. There was technically an ordinance prohibiting that, but since Aleia wasn't part of the Order and Padmé was familiar with Jedi behavior, the Council was allowing it. Chancellor Palpatine along with the rest of the Senate just knew Senator Amidala was taking leave of her duties until her assassans were caught. The Jedi Council knew their identity to be the Trade Federation and the Separatists, but Palpatine refused to do anything until it was a proven fact; in other words he was doing the same as Valorum had 10 years ago. Padmé regretted the worry she knew it caused her family, but it would scare them even more if they knew what she did with her time off.

Upon arriving on Coruscant, the group went to the Jedi Temple immediately. From the looks she and Aleia had been getting, Padmé gathered that they were possibly the only two in the entire building who weren't a part of the Order. Obi-Wan and Anakin had gone to report to the Council, and Aleia and Padmé waited for them in the swimming area.

"Watch that," said Aleia. The Jedi Temple had been built over a small lake on the planet. The swimming area was, contrary to popular belief, the natural planet environment. It was two stories high to compensate for the large cliffs and except for the paved areas around the edges and the Jacuzzi it was completely unaltered. The Younglings had to learn to swim and also practiced their maneuverability by doing dive tricks off the cliffs. Aleia had pointed out some instructors "demonstrating dives" (showing off).

"How do they do that?" asked Padmé as one performed a perfect swan dive.

"You're telling me that you grew up on a water planet and you don't do swan dives?" said Aleia doubtfully.

"I swim; I don't dive," said Padmé.

A cannon ball splash redirected Aleia's smart remark, which turned into a glare as she recognized Obi-Wan and Anakin. Aleia stood up and dove off the wall of the Jacuzzi into a deep part of the lake. Obi-Wan ducked underwater and went after Aleia. Anakin decided not to get involved and joined Padmé in the Jacuzzi to observe. Aleia had started toward the waterfalls without coming out for a breath, Obi-Wan in fast pursuit.

"They never quit, do they?" Padmé remarked.

Anakin shook his head with an amused smile. They saw Obi-Wan and Aleia chasing each other all over the lake, cutting across lap lanes and dive areas, getting out of the way just in time. Somehow the two found their way to the top of the highest rock in the place. Aleia smiled evilly.

"Ah, my friend," she said, imitating his accent. "You have endurance, but are you also daring?"

With that, she dove head first off the rock in a perfect sailor's dive and made almost no splash whatsoever, leaving Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé with dropped jaws. She popped her head up with a self-satisfied grin.

"I could do that," Anakin mumbled.

Padmé bit her lip, but couldn't manage to hold back an ear-to-ear grin. Anakin fixed her with a good spirited glare.

"What's so funny?"

"You sound like that little boy on Tatooine when he didn't get his way again," she explained.

"I do not!" he said and splashed her. Padmé would have splashed him back, but used her better judgment. After all, they were among a lot of high ranking Jedi.  
Aleia and Obi-Wan were in the lap lanes now, hanging on the wall about ready to start a race. They took of doing front crawl but kept stopping to try to slow the other one. They tied nonetheless and returned to the Jacuzzi arguing over it.

"Like my dive?" asked the smiling Aleia.

"You're crazy, but it worked," said Padmé.

Obi-Wan mumbled an agreement. Anakin bit his tongue and looked away. Aleia grinned mischievously.

"Awe, is somebody jealous?"

"Try doing that into the sand off a flaming pod with an angry dug on your tail,"  
Anakin said quickly with a faked smile.

Aleia raised an eyebrow doubtfully, but had an idea.

"I'll race you," she said smiling.

"What?" he choked. "Do the words 'I grew up in a desert' mean anything to you?"

"You think I had any better?" she snorted. "Come on, unless you're… scared…"

"Actually, you probably did have better…" Anakin said flatly; Aleia glared at him.

"I'm not walking into something knowing I'm going to make a fool out of myself."

"Oh come on, humor me at least."

Padmé could tell Anakin's patience was running thin and he was in need of a subject change. She would have obliged, except she didn't want to make a Temple full of Jedi suspicious about their relationship- especially in the gossip capital of the galaxy. Thankfully, Obi-Wan had also noticed Anakin's patience was going fast and brought up something utterly different; Anakin and Padmé didn't pay attention.

"We should probably clear out; they'll be closing up soon," said Obi-Wan, bringing Padmé and Anakin back to the present. Aleia cannon balled into the pool and Obi-Wan followed. Anakin and Padmé synchronized their surface dives and caught up quickly. Obi-Wan and Aleia had already left for the showers when Anakin and Padmé reached the waterfall covering the cove with the door to the showers.

"Creative," said Padmé. She dove under the falls followed closely by Anakin. He came up first and almost choked on his breath to see Padmé resurface. Her hair was floating freely around her waist in the water and she looked over at him innocently. He leaned in to kiss her, but Padmé smiled helplessly and sunk beneath the water. Anakin knew she was right, so he swam over to the exit and got out before he was tempted further.

Padmé swam over to her own exit trying not to let her emotions show, though she knew it would only be a matter of time until everything would be revealed. She knew they couldn't hide forever. Padmé resurfaced once more and looked past the clear, falling water. She wasn't sure where fate would take her next, but the look she'd just seen in Anakin's eyes made her certain that she didn't need to fear anything as long as Anakin was there.


End file.
